UAE Free Zone Company Setup

All UAE Free Zones follow one clear rule: you cannot combine commercial and service activities under the same license. Therefore, any trading activity must fall under a Trading or Commercial License, while service-based work and consultations require a Service License. If your business involves production or manufacturing, you will need an Industrial License. These distinctions ensure compliance and help you choose the correct structure for your UAE Free Zone company formation.

Each UAE Free Zone provides its own list of permitted business activities, along with specific facility options and visa quotas. Because these factors vary significantly from one Free Zone to another, it is essential to seek expert guidance at this stage. With professional support, you can choose the Free Zone that best matches your company formation goals and operational needs.

Your UAE Free Zone company can take several corporate structures. You may form a New Company with individual shareholders, a Subsidiary with corporate shareholders, or a Joint Venture that combines both. You can also register a Branch of an existing local or foreign company.

However, some business activities are available only to Branch Companies. Therefore, you should confirm the permitted structure with the Free Zone before proceeding.

Prepare three company name options in order of preference and gather all documents required by your chosen UAE Free Zone. For new company formation, you typically need a passport copy, visa, Emirates ID (if applicable), NOC for UAE residents in certain Free Zones, proof of residential address, and a professional CV.

Branch registrations follow a different documentation process. Therefore, you should review the specific requirements for the Branch structure you plan to register.

Initial approval usually includes approval for the company name, for the chosen business activity(ies), and the proposed company structure.

Once you receive the initial approval, you must schedule a face-to-face meeting or video call with a Free Zone representative. In some cases, you can avoid this meeting by issuing a Power of Attorney to your representative and submitting notarized documents.

During the meeting, the Free Zone will verify the passports of the shareholders or UBOs. You will also sign the required documents, including the Articles of Association (AOA), Board Resolution, and Specimen Signature Form.

To move to the final stage of licensing, you must secure a commercial property within your chosen Free Zone. Once you select the right facility, you will sign a one-year Tenancy Contract and obtain the Ejari Certificate. You must then submit both documents to the Free Zone, and your license will be issued using the address listed in your Tenancy Contract.

Depending on the type of facility—such as a flexi-desk, business centre office, physical office, warehouse, or retail space—you may also need additional documents. For example, some Free Zones request an AOFC Certificate from Concordia or Third-Party Liability Insurance.

By this stage, you will have already completed several key steps: securing the initial approval, signing the company incorporation documents, obtaining any required third-party approvals, and finalizing your Lease or Tenancy Contract.

After these requirements are met, the Free Zone will issue your business license along with the full set of corporate documents. Depending on the Free Zone, this package typically includes the License, Certificate of Incorporation, Share Certificates, Articles of Association (AOA), and the Lease or Tenancy Contract.

Since 2009, AW Consultancy UAE DMCC has guided thousands of local and international entrepreneurs through successful company formation in the UAE’s most reputable Free Zones. Over the years, we have built a strong track record of delivering strategic, end-to-end assistance tailored to each client’s goals.

Here is what you gain when working with our team:

A highly professional and reliable group of specialists
Deep knowledge of UAE regulations and Free Zone requirements
Strong connections with leading UAE Free Zones, banks, and key authorities
Moreover, we guide you through every stage of the Free Zone company formation process and provide hyper-personalized support designed to help you build a successful presence in the UAE.